Pencil-sharpener



(No Model.) Y

" J. C. MGCLLUM.

PENCIL SHARPENER.

o. 527,803. Patented ont. 2s, 1894.-

W il gasses UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. MCCOLLUM, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- TI-IIRDS TOALERT I-I. JUDSON, OF SAME PLACE, AND CHARLES K. JUD- SON, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

PENCIL-SHARPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent NO.- 527,803, dated October23, 1894. Application filed February 23, 1894. Serial o. 501,207. (Nomodel.)

State of California, have invented a new and usefulSelf-SharpeningPencil, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates Yto that class of pencils in which the lead isarranged in a tubu- 1o.4 lar barrel and adapted to pass through a feedcap, whereby it is'sharpened as fast as presented to the paper; and theobject ofthis invention is to improve the. construction of thesedevices, so that the lead will be fed with more regularityand sharpenedwithout wasting.

A further obj ect is to improve the construction of the cap or head ofthe device, whereby it may be produced at a smaller cost than or- 2odinarily, and will be more effective in operation.

To these ends my invention consists of certain improved features ofconstruction and combination and arrangement of parts that z 5 will bemore fully described hereinafter and finally embodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:--Figure l represents a perspective view ofa pencil, constructed after the manner of my invention;

3o Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the same;

Fig. 3, a cross section on the line of Fig. 2; Fig. 4., an enlargedperspective view of the cap or head; Fig. 5, a cross section on the line'y-fy of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a cross section on line w-w of Fig. 2.

The reference letter a indicates the barrel or body of myinvention,which is preferably of metal and has the longitudinal passageb formed therein.

the rear end thereof in the round screwthreaded aperture c. With theexception of this aperture c, the passage b is square throughu out itslength and is provided with the longitudinally movable follower-blockel, which is capable of movement from end to end in the passage andwhichis given a normal tendency toward the front or head of the body by meansof the spiral spring e. This device,

This passage-b extends the 4o entire length of the body and terminatesat whenextended will occupy the major portion of the passage, but may becompressed so as to occupy but a small portion thereof, while its rearend is engaged and held in place by means of the screw-cap f which fitswithin the threaded aperture c of passage b. The purpose of the followerblock d is to give the lead g a normal tendency toward the head, and thelead must be formed square in cross-section so as to prevent axialmovement. The reason for this will be apparent later on.

The forward end of the body a, is reduced ath, and the reduced portionis provided with an annular rib or flange z', which operates to hold thecap k on the reduced portion and to allow it rotary movement thereon.The cap lc consists of a cylindrical section having an open rear end,which is formed with the lon` gitudinal slots Z, whereby the end isgiven a spring tendency. Formed on the interior of the cap lo and nearits rear end yis the annular groove m, which is so constructed that itwill fit over the rib 1', and by this means the cap is prevented fromlongitudinal movement but allowed to turn .on the reduced portion h, therearend of the cap being arranged to fit snugly against the shoulder ofthe reduced portion.

Cap Zo is formed so that its forward end will project over the front endof the body a, and is provided at such forward end with the fingers n,preferably four, and projecting slightly inwardly, their ends meetingopposite each other and leaving a space between them of a size equal tothe size of the point which it is desired to give the lead. Thesefingers, fn, are formed on their inner sides with the sharp knife edgesn', which slope outwardly and inwardly parallel with the outer faceofthe fingers, thus making the circular line within which the edges n liedescribe substantially a cone, as shown in Fig. 2. This imaginary coneis of a size at its base equal to the thickness of the lead, anddecreases in size until its apex (forward end of lingers) is of a sizeequal to lthe point which it is desiredto give the lead. By this meansthe lead is sharpened as advanced, since it is under continual pressureby reason of spring e, and this will push 5o spring e, is arranged inthe passage g and its forward end into the space between the roo fingersn of cap 7s. Now, owing to its size, the lead will be able tolgo nofarther, at first, but upon revolving the cap 7c, and this may bereadily done by the milled surface 7c', the knives n will act on thelead and cut it away sufficiently to allow it to pass farther into thecone between the knives. Thisis continued until the lead is cut awaysuificiently to allow it to pass out the opening between the forward endof the fingers, whereupon the pencil may be used. When the point thusformed wears away, a new one may be formed by repeating the operationjust described, and so on until the lead is used, when it will bcnecessary to provide a new piece.` This .may be done by overcoming thetendency which the rear end of the cap 7o has to clasp the reducedportion h and drawingit out of engagement with the rib i, whereupon-afresh piece of lead maybe inserted in place of the old, the

cap replaced, and the device used as before. The follower-block-,`d, maybe a block prop# erly, or may be a short rod performing the function ofafollower-block. This latter form is preferred, though'either maybeused.`

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desiretosecu re by Letters Patent, is-

1. A lead pencil consisting of a body por-` tion having a longitudinalpassage adapted to receivethe lead and to hold it incapable of rotarymovement, aspring-pressed follower` block in the passage, and adapted togive the lead a normal tendency out of the body, and a revoluble capfitting on thebody and into which the lead is pressed, the cap having onits interior a series of longitudinal and parallel knives arrangedobliquely and adapted to engage the end of the lead and to form a pointthereon by revolving the cap, substantiallyas described.

2. A lead pencil consisting of a` body portion having a longitudinalpassage therein, adapted to contain and hold the lead incapable ofrotary movement, a spring pressed follower arranged in the passage andoperating to push the lead out of the passage, a cap havinga flexibleVtubular end adapted to fit over the front end of the body and to be heldthereon capable of rotary movement by a rib and groove connection, and aseries of longitudinal fingers formed integral with the for wardZ end-otthe cap and extending inwardly and outwardly therefrom, the fingershaving their inner edges formed with knife edges thereon and adaptedtoengage the end of the lead and to form-a pointthereon by revolving thecap, substantially as described.`

. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I havevheretoaffixedr my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES C. .MCCOLLUMp Witnesses:

A. H. JORDAN, R. K. Woon.

